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Astrobiology for Educators: Is There Life Beyond Our Planet? And How Would We Know? will be offered the week of July 22 at Penn State Abington. The for-credit course is designed to provide teachers in grades four through 12 with content related to the cutting-edge field of astrobiology.

Image: Judy Reale

Astrobiology course at Abington opens up new worlds for educators

Regina Broscius

June 3, 2013

Astrobiology course at Abington opens up new worlds for educators

Is there life beyond our planet? And how would we know?

Exploring questions such as these are sure to engage students, and Penn State Abington is offering educators the opportunity to explore astrobiology this summer while developing engaging projects for their classrooms.

The course is designed to provide teachers in grades four through 12 with content related to the cutting-edge field of astrobiology. Educators will survey the latest discoveries in the search for conditions needed to support life on other planets and will learn how to integrate this multidisciplinary topic into existing curricula while meeting state science requirements.

Educators who completed the course last year praised its impact. One student said, “I now have a plan to improve the science pedagogy in my classroom this year.”

“The course reminded me of how important it is to help students focus on the application and meaningfulness of content,” another educator said.

The course will be held the week of July 22. Those who successfully complete SCIED 497A: Astrobiology for Educators, including the required pre-workshop assignments, will receive two graduate credits. For more information, contact Eva Klein at 215-881-7387 or evaklein@psu.edu